The imagery in the Three of Swords Tarot card conjures up some potentially disturbing feelings within us. These internal stirrings kick up within us because this card deals with the heart of the matter:

the focus of our attention,

the center of our desire,

the impetus for our motivation,

and that which is the center of our world.

Now we know why we squirm a bit when this card comes up in a reading. However, when we see the Three of Swords through eyes of honesty and embrace it as signal for us to wake up, pay attention and begin to candidly observe the inner-workings of our heart, we can use it's message to catapult us into a profound transformation.

The symbolic placement of the three swords reminds us of these spiritual trinity's The triune or trident concept is intriguing as we see this motif in all spiritual traditions. One such reflection of the triune is Shiva's trident (pitchfork). It is symbolic of the Hindu trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva (creator, preserver, destroyer - respectively).

Another symbolic representation of the triune is the Chrismon of Christian descent (which looks precisely like the sword formation in the Three of Swords card) indicating the trine combination of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In this light, these swords hint to our ability to balance core and supporting beliefs leading to heartfelt breakthroughs in our lives. More succinctly, the veil of obscurity is pierced, and the heart of our desire is made manifest through our practice of living an observed, aware, and balanced life.

A few symbol meanings on for the Three of Sword card:

Heart:
As one would assume, the heart has long been as symbol of love, joy, and affection. The heart is also a symbol of truth, courage and conscience. The symbolic heart is the center of existence - physically speaking it pumps out life to the rest of the body. When we note the heart in our readings we must be mindful of our own center, and what is at the center of our focus. We may also ask what we love most - that which is positive or negative. View other cards with the Heart symbol.

Clouds:
Clouds hold the symbol meaning of revelation. Consider out of the mists of our deepest thoughts suddenly an epiphany comes, a bright idea comes out from nowhere - this is the basic cloud symbol meaning. Depending on the card, clouds can also symbolize confusion or clouded judgment. Primarily, clouds represent higher thought and messages from the divine.View other cards with clouds.

Some questions the Three of Swords asks of us:

How do I see clearly into the heart of the matter? What's the root of the conflict?

How can I integrate my supportive beliefs with more core in order to be free of limitation?

What truths am I holding apart from myself? What am I hiding from?

Am I being totally honest with myself about my situation and the people I am associating with?